Dallas Cowboys Plan to Start QB Garrett Gilbert vs Steelers
The Dallas Cowboys will start their fourth quarterback of the season on Sunday when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers. On back-to-back weeks, a Cowboys' QB will make his NFL debut as a starter. Last week it was a seventh-round rookie Ben DiNucci and this time it all points toward SMU product Garrett Gilbert. NFL Network's […]
The Dallas Cowboys will start their fourth quarterback of the season on Sunday when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers. On back-to-back weeks, a Cowboys' QB will make his NFL debut as a starter. Last week it was a seventh-round rookie Ben DiNucci and this time it all points toward SMU product Garrett Gilbert.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Saturday that the Cowboys plan to start Gilbert over Cooper Rush. Rush was recently signed by the team to provide much-needed depth. Rush seemed to have the advantage over Gilbert considering his relationship with Kellen Moore, but then again, there's a reason why Gilbert was signed first.
But who exactly is the newest starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys?
Garrett Gilbert hasn't done much in the NFL. After a rocky college football career in which he went from the Texas Longhorns to SMU, Gilbert was picked in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the then St. Louis Rams.
Since then, he's bounced around the New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, and most recently the Cleveland Browns. And although Gilbert's NFL career hasn't been good, he found professional success playing for the Orlando Apollos in the Alliance of American Football in 2019.
The AAF wasn't successful as it failed to finish its first and only season, but Gilbert was arguably the best quarterback in the league. In eight games, he led the AAF in passing yards with 2,152 (269 per game) as he completed 61% of his passes. To put that number into perspective, no one else had more than 1,700 passing yards. He finished the season with 13 passing touchdowns (2nd) and only threw three interceptions.
Gilbert excelled at that level of pro football, and he was helped immensely by the fact that he played for Steve Spurrier. If the college football coaching legend is known for one thing, it's that he makes his quarterbacks' lives pretty easy on the gridiron.
But the NFL is a less forgiving place. Especially when you're playing with a Dallas Cowboys' offensive line that's missing its two starting tackles. On top of that, Ezekiel Elliott probably won't be as available to help out Gilbert as the star running back deals with a hamstring injury. Even if he's active on Sunday, he probably won't be able to put the game on his back.
Cooper Rush will back up Gilbert and it wouldn't be a surprise if he gets his share of playing time. The Pittsburgh Steelers arrive at AT&T Stadium as 14-point road favorites and an undefeated record through eight weeks of football.
Featured Image Via Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
